As a student at the Waterford Institute of Technology, Lyng joined the senior hurling team during his second year but found it difficult to break onto the starting fifteen.
On 28 February 1999, he won a Fitzgibbon Cup medal after coming on as a substitute in the 4–15 to 3–12 defeat of University College Cork in the final.
Lyng joined the Emeralds club in Urlingford at a young age and played in all grades at juvenile and underage levels.
[1] On 31 October 1999, Lyng was selected at right wing-back when Emeralds qualified to play Carrickshock in the Kilkenny Junior Championship final.
On 7 October 2001, Lyng lined out at midfield when Emeralds qualified for a second Kilkenny Junior Championship final in two seasons.
[3] On 19 September 1999, Lyng won an All-Ireland medal as an unused substitute following Kilkenny's 1–13 to 0–14 defeat of Galway in the final.
He made his first appearance for the team on 11 February 2001 when he came on as a substitute for Peter Barry at left wing-back in a 3–16 to 0–11 defeat of Laois.
Lyng made his Leinster Championship debut on 10 June 2001 when he again came on as a substitute for Peter Barry in a 3–21 to 0–18 defeat of Offaly in the semi-final.
[8] On 5 May 2003, Lyng won a second successive National League medal after lining out at midfield in Kilkenny's 5–14 to 5–13 defeat of Tipperary in the final.
[9] On 6 July 2003, he won his third consecutive Leinster Championship medal after scoring three points from play in the 2–23 to 2–12 defeat of Wexford in the final.
[13] On 2 May 2005, Lyng won a third National League medal after scoring a point from midfield in Kilkenny's 3–20 to 0–15 defeat of Clare in the final.
[15] On 30 April 2006, Lyng won his fourth National League medal after lining out at midfield in Kilkenny's 3–11 to 0–14 victory over Limerick.
[18] Lyng was sidelined due to a groin injury when Kilkenny faced Wexford in the Leinster final on 1 July 2007.
[21] On 6 July 2008, Lyng won a seventh Leinster Championship medal after scoring a point from midfield in the 5–21 to 0–17 defeat of Wexford.
[23] Lyng collected a fifth National League medal on 3 May 2009 when he lined out as a substitute in Kilkenny's 2–26 to 4-17 extra-time defeat of Tipperary in the final.
[24] On 5 July 2009, he was back on the starting fifteen in his usual position of midfield when Kilkenny faced Dublin in the Leinster final.
In spite of this he won a ninth Leinster Championship medal as an unused substitute on 4 July 2010 following Kilkenny's 1–19 to 1–12 defeat of Galway.
On 3 November 2002, Lyng won a Railway Cup medal after scoring a point from midfield in the 4–15 to 3–17 defeat of Munster in the final.
[45] On 8 April 2018, Lyng secured his second National League title as a selector following Kilkenny's 2–23 to 2–17 defeat of Tipperary in the final.
[46] His side failed to retain the Leinster Championship for the fourth successive year following a 1–28 to 3–15 defeat by Galway in a final replay.